Using Systematic Desensitization to Create a Mindfulness Activity for Nursing Students With Test Anxiety
1About the Author Allison Collins, EdD, RN, CNE, is a member of the nursing faculty at Grayson College, Denison, Texas. This research was conducted for the author's research for her dissertation at The University of Alabama. Contact Dr. Collins at collinsa@grayson.edu.
Abstract:
Undergraduate nursing students are voicing high levels of test anxiety within their learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a mindfulness intervention, using systematic desensitization, on community college nursing students' test anxiety. Data were collected and analyzed with a sample of 107 students randomly selected for a control and intervention group. The intervention group, which listened to a mindfulness podcast while using muscle relaxation, had significantly lower post-intervention test anxiety scores (p <. 001) than the control group. Systematic desensitization is a type of mindfulness that nursing students can use to decrease test anxiety.
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